Over the years, breast implants have become increasingly durable; however, ruptured implants are still one of the biggest concerns for patients who undergo breast augmentation surgery. On average, research suggests that the chances of implant rupture rates in breast surgeries increase by 15% and 17% every 10 years.
What We Recommend As Preventative Implant Rupture Measures
To prevent the possibility of an implant rupture in our patients, we invite you to come in to our Manchester clinic for regular check-ups, or to a clinic more local to you. This ensures the implant rupture signs aren’t present, like you would do with a mammogram, for your health and safety.
10-year lifetime guarantees that come with your breast implants can also be a safety net to ensure you gain the right aftercare and have breast implant replacements in case something goes wrong.
However, it’s still important to be well aware of common signs of implant ruptures, as this can allow you to act sooner. Read further to discover the common signs of breast implant ruptures and what action to take should this happen.
How To Perform A Breast Self-Exam
While checkups with us are important, weekly or monthly self-exams are extremely important in breast health. Here are some simple ways you can check for any changes to your breast.
- Look in the mirror for any changes in shape, size, colour and unusual asymmetry. Raise your arms and look for the same changes.
- Look for signs of breast fluid.
- Feel for breast lumps while lying down.
- Feel for breast lumps while standing up.
Common Signs Of Implant Rupture
Your Implant Feels Softer Than Usual
Your implant tends to feel quite firm at the beginning stages of your surgery; therefore, after healing is done, become familiar with your implants to help detect early signs of an implant rupture. If you feel as though your implant has become softer, this gives an indication that gel from the implant has leaked, potentially from an implant rupture.
We recommend you ring the clinic as soon as possible to come in for a scan to assess the rupture and correct it.
Your Implant Becomes Stiffer
In some cases, the opposite can happen, and your implant can’t feel noticeably harder. This is a sign of capsular contracture, where the skin tissue reacts to the breast implants and causes them to form a different shape. This can also cause slight pain, which is a sign of implant rupture.
Again, we recommend booking an emergency appointment so we can assess and potentially replace the implant.
Your Breast Becomes Swollen
Another common sign of an implant rupture is when your breast becomes swollen. This occurs because the fluid from the breast implants interacts with your tissue fluid, which causes the breasts to swell and become noticeably rounded. Any change in shape and size 6+ weeks post-surgery is cause for an appointment.
If you see any noticeable signs of swelling or abnormal swelling during your recovery, then you should seek urgent advice from your trusted plastic surgeon.
Lump In Your Breasts
Any form of lump that you discover in your breasts should be considered of high importance and addressed immediately. A silicone breast implant rupture can feel like small bumps and larger lumps; you may even notice masses around the implant resembling small marbles. Getting an examination as soon as possible is imperative in these cases.
This could also be a sign of breast cancer, which should be examined by a specialist.
Pain Or Itching
If you feel any other discomfort after you’ve had your breast surgery and healed, such as pain or itching, these should also be considered an implant rupture sign. Be sure to check this with a specialist to ensure there has not been an implant rupture, or return to your clinic to notify them that you feel there are issues with your breast implants.
Gary Ross Practice
Here at Gary Ross, we make patient care our top priority. Although the majority of our patients are extremely happy with their results and rarely have issues with their breast implants after surgery, there can be times when risk and complications are involved, whether it’s a personal reaction or accident that causes the implant to rupture.
By educating you on the signs of implant ruptures and other concerns through our blog post, we can ensure that you’re safe and aware of what could happen.
We have been a safe haven for patients looking for revisions, advice and solutions for concerns regarding breast implant ruptures and beyond. Here are some case studies of breast revisions we have done in cases such as implant rupture replacements.
